Jonny Flynn: No, Im just excited, just happy. You finally get to calm down after all of these workouts, youve been on the road for about a month and a half, so you finally get to really enjoy what youre about to get into. So this is definitely a fun time.

DX: How are you feeling about Sacramento? Thats probably where your range starts, are you hearing good things over there?

JF: Well you know you hear a lot of good things. The first thing is when a team brings you back for a second workout you can tell that theyre really interested. A lot of crazy things are starting to happen now, a lot of trades, so Im just going in with an open mind and wherever I fall Im just going to put on my hardhat and get right to work.

DX: It seems like most people feel you arent slipping past Milwaukee at ten. Did you impress them with your workout there?

JF: Yea, I had a pretty good workout in Milwaukee; I shot the ball great, defended guys well and made plays. I had a good one there, but like I said, there are crazier things that have happened on draft night, so Im just expecting the best and thats the way I go with it.

DX: Four, ten, are there any other teams in there that are going to be in the mix for you?

JF: I think it really just depends on where people get drafted. This is one of those drafts that are so unpredictable. Say I was to go fourth, that would be messing up the draft for a lot of guys, but thats the way this draft is set up. Its basically wherever a guy gets picked; I think thats where GMs start looking at other guys for those positions. I think there are a few teams in the mix but it just depends on who goes where.

DX: Talking with people who are familiar with Sacramento, it seems like they are interested in drafting a guy who is going to be a leader, who is going to change the team culture and a guy who is going to play defense. How do you think you fit in when it comes to those attributes?

JF: I think I definitely fit into that category. Just a guy with my personality, being able to mesh and connect with people on different levels, so I think along with that and my ability on the court I think thats a true leader. You have to be able to go out and lead by example and you also have to be a vocal leader.

Reporter: The ultimate verdict will come out after the draft, but are you happy about your decision to come out early?

JF: Im definitely happy; I got great feedback from a lot of teams around the time that I made my decision. So I think I made the right decision and hopefully well find out tomorrow.

Reporter: In the pre-draft workouts do you feel like you put your best foot forward?

JF: I think I excelled in the one-on-one, two-on-two and three-on-three situations and just getting after it and showing my leadership capabilities. I was able to show people that I can shoot the basketball. At Syracuse my percentages were kind of low, I dominated the ball a lot and got caught in some late shot clock situations. You know when Coach gives you the green light the way Boehiem did with me, what kind of player wouldnt take bad shots at times? So I definitely think I had a good showing in these workouts.

Reporter: At 5-11 you are undersized; what are some things that get overlooked about you?

JF: You know size is a big thing in the NBA nowadays, but I just look at it if a guy can play or not. You see guys like Nate Robinson or a guy like Aaron Brooks who dominated the playoffs. If you can play good basketball, thats really what is going to matter at the end of the day, Im not trying to use height as something to base my talent off of. But I think my rap sheet at Syracuse and the scouting these teams did on me will tell the story.

Point guards like Jonny Flynn earn their paychecks on the court winning games in five on five settings, not in private workouts. Fortunately for Flynn, that was exactly what he was able to do in the month of March, leading his team to the Sweet 16. Regardless of the limitations of this evaluation, there were a couple of specific things we could learn or be reminded about here in Chicago.

As we saw at Syracuse, Flynn is one of the most explosive point guards in this draft, right in the same class as Brandon Jennings and Ty Lawson. His shiftiness in the open floor and pure speed getting up and down the court was very impressive, as were his ball-handling skills. While there wasnt anything to take away from this setting in terms of evaluating his playmaking skills or court vision, it was great to see what a natural leader Flynn is around his cohorts. He looked incredibly focused and professional at all times, and really appears to have the ideal personality you look for at his position, as hes extremely engaging and charismatic.

From a skills standpoint, Flynn shot the ball just OK in the two days we saw him. His mechanics are fine and there doesnt appear to be anything broke about his shot, but he didnt seem to be all that consistent with the jumpers we saw him put up. As youll see in the interview, he seems to recognize the importance of improving this part of his game, and as long as he puts the work in, he will probably be fine.

The one thing that immediately stands out about Flynn when you first meet him is his size. It will be interesting to see how tall he measures out at the combine and whether that has any influence on his draft stock. He did seem to get getting after it quite a bit in the three on three portion of the workout, which will definitely help his cause on the defensive end.

Flynn has his fans in the lottery right now, and would appear to be in excellent shape one month before the draft.

Jonny Flynn was fast enough to compensate for his size on the NCAA level.

Flynn was a standout in two areas: his ability to get to the rim, and his one-on-one skills. Thankfully for him, those are two skills that the NBA values dearly. Clearly, his productivity is grounded in his first step. Flynn got to the rim 8.8 times per game, which accounted for a lot of his scoring, but his 1.24 PPP in unguarded catch and shoot situations and .94 PPP on pull up jumpers are both very respectable. His 4.3 possessions per game on isolations are amongst the best amongst big-conference players, and his 41% shooting on those plays isnt awful. Couple those tools with his capacity to drive in both directions and his ability to draw fouls (16.1% SF), and it becomes hard not to think that Flynn could be, at the very least, a high quality backup if he improves his efficiency, especially once he masters the pick and roll (.84 PPP).

Even though we wrote about Jonny Flynn just over a month ago, were writing about him once again due to his outstanding postseason play, especially in leading Syracuse to the Big East Championship. Over the past month, Flynn has shown great toughness and competitiveness, leading his team to a great postseason run in many grueling games.

Over the course of these games, Flynn has eased some of the doubts about his game by adjusting his playing style at times, playing more of a facilitator role, not forcing the issue as much as usual. Still, in spite of showing flashes of progress, Flynns flair for the dramatic definitely popped up at times, as he showed off his penchant for trying too hard to create big plays.

As a point guard, Flynn has outstanding capabilities as a shot creator with his court vision and quickness, things he frequently shows off, but his decision-making is still a bit erratic. Whether its pulling up for a contested jumper early in the shot clock or driving into three defenders and forcing up a shot, Flynn is prone to some foolish choices on the court. Also, you get the impression that he sometimes will try to convert stylish passes for flashy assists rather than merely executing a fundamental one, attempting no-look passes or lazy lobs when a simple one would do the job better, something that leads to unnecessary turnovers. To his credit, hes definitely gotten better with these things in his time at Syracuse, and oftentimes hes capable of making a positive play out of the situations he puts himself in, but just as often it ends up in a turnover.

As a shooter, Flynn shoots an unimpressive 32% from behind the three-point line, but hes probably a slightly better shooter than those numbers would indicate, as of his 169 jump shots logged by Synergy Sports Technology, only 29 were uncontested spot-up jumpers, while the rest were contested, off the dribble, or both. When Flynn does make the leap to the NBA, its only natural that hed be less of an offensive focal point, so his number of uncontested spot-ups should increase, while he wont be forced to create for himself off the dribble as frequently, which should result in an increase in his shooting efficiency. Still, there is no doubt that Flynn will need to become a better shooter if hes to be able to establish himself as legit starting material in the NBA.

On the other hand, despite his exceptional ability to get into the lane, Flynns ability to finish at the basket should become even more of a problem, given his lack of great size and that he already has troubles finishing at the rim. According to SST, Flynn converts only 54% of his finishes at the basket, which would rank him in the 26th percentile of NCAA players, and thats only going against college frontlines.

Its tough to project Flynn to the next level, as in spite of his tremendous talent level, its clear that hell need to make multiple adjustments with his game to maximize his effectiveness, both as a scorer and a distributor. By becoming less dominant of possessions and trying to make less highlight reel plays, Flynn should be able to greatly improve his efficiency, and has the potential to be quite a solid point guard. In addition, its questionable how hell be able to defend at the next level given his small size and wavering commitment to defense.

Flynn has publicly stated that he intends to return to Syracuse for his junior season, though theres still no telling whether he decides to test the NBA draft waters. If he does, teams will likely be attracted to the fact that he should be able to create sparkplug offense for a team rather quickly with his tenacious and athletic style of play, as well as his long-term potential if he continues making adjustments to his game. If he does declare, Flynn should be firmly in first round discussions, as we currently project him in the mid-teens. He may even be drafted higher than that based on what were hearing from certain teams. Returning to school may be the best for his long-term development, but itd be hard to fault him for leaving.

Jonny Flynn established himself as one of the top point guards in the country last year, in addition to being one of the nations best freshmen. This season, scouts have been looking for him to take his game to the next show and show that he can be a capable scorer and distributor at the next level.

Standing at what looks to be a legitimate 60 with a skinny frame, Flynn is much shorter than the prototypical NBA point guard. He makes up for his lack of size, however, with very good quickness and explosiveness. While the odds are somewhat against Flynn based on his lack of ideal size, the recent NBA trend of successful smaller point guards, combined with his athleticism, certainly helps his cause.

In terms of his actual point guard ability, Flynn has made some improvements this season, but shows on a constant basis that he still has a good deal to learn about the position. This season in particular, however, he looks more comfortable running the offense, playing the pick and roll well, finding his teammates at a good rate, and even working better in drive and dish situations. He has increased his assist average slightly, putting him in the middle of the pack statistically compared with other point guard prospects in the various metrics.

The problem still seems to be that he does not know his limitations, especially while slashing to the rim. While his quickness off the dribble and excellent first step allow him to get by his defender, he tends to have tunnel vision, looking to pass only if he is in the air and there is no chance to get a shot off. Most of the time, however, situations like this end in a blocked shot or a turnover, most of the 3.2 he averages per game, which situates him below some of the better point guards in the draft. If he slows down and lets the game come to him, rather than forcing decisions constantly, then he could develop into a quality point guard at the next level. With this in mind, scouts will be looking for him to finish the season strong, looking to see improvement in his decision-making abilities finding his teammates and scoring the basketball, particularly in the big games hell be playing in March.

His shot selection, actually, may be the most important improvement he needs to make before he can consider himself a first round lock. He has a fairly prolific mid-range game and attacks the basket regularly, but seems to lack the size and the bulk to project as a good finisher at the next level. He does have a lightening quick first step and can drive with either hand, which, if his decision-making improves, should allow him to be extremely effective in drive and dish situations. Even at this level, he is prone to getting his shot blocked or find himself in a situation whether the only option is to throw up a prayer or commit a turnover.

With that said, his perimeter jumper is likely the area in his offensive game in most need of improvement. The subpar 34.3% he shoots on 3.8 attempts her game has more to do with bad shot selection than with his form, which actually looks quite good. He displays a quick release, but needs to make sure his shooting motion is consistent. Sometimes he will shoot straight up with little extra movement, but other times he will kick his leg out or fade to the side. Consistency combined with better shot selection should allow Flynn to get his shot off and be an efficient perimeter shooter at the next level.

Defensively, Flynn looks like he may be physically limited on the ball at the next level. He still does not look incredibly enthusiastic on the defensive end of the floor, though in such a restrictive system it is difficult to project how good of a man defender he is. It is needless to say that, should he declare this summer, he will have to show scouts that he is capable of working hard on the defensive end of the floor, despite the disadvantages that his size provides.

At the end of the day, Flynn looks like a solid point guard prospect, capable of working his way into the late first round and potentially even higher if he can lead Syracuse on a deep run and show scouts that his decision making is improving. There arent many pure point guards who display Flynns combination of athleticism and scoring instincts, particularly from mid-range. With Syracuses season winding to a close and very few left chances to prove himself at a high level before the conference tournament rolls around, Flynn should have the season finale, a match up at Marquette, circled on his calendar. Hell face one of the NCAAs premier perimeter defenders in Jerel McNeal, providing scouts the opportunity to evaluate him against an NBA caliber defensive player. It is moments like these in which Flynn must excel and prove to scouts that he has the maturity and skill to man the point at the next level.

Fresh off a productive freshman season that saw his team yet again miss out on an NCAA tournament bid, former McDonalds All-American Jonny Flynn looks ready to break onto the national spotlight as a collegiate All-American. Small, but fairly athletic, he is clearly a pass-first playmaker who looks very comfortable executing an offense and does a particularly nice job running the pick and roll.

Fast in the open floor, Flynn has excellent ball-handling skills with either hand that allow him to make very strong moves to the basket. He is very quick and shows excellent ability to change speeds and directions on the fly, pushing the ball up the floor well to get his team in transition, and looking very confident and aggressive in almost everything he does. Flynn gets to the free throw line at a decent rate, but is not much of a finisher around the basket due to his below average size and strength.

Also a capable shooter, Flynn made a decent amount of shots from beyond the arc last season, although not always on a consistent clip. He shot a very respectable 46% from the field last season, but only hit 34% of his 3-pointers, despite attempting over four and a half per game. He gets nice elevation on his jumper, and can definitely make shots off the dribble, but seems to release his shot from an inconsistent vantage point each time, also struggling a bit due to his often poor shot-selection.

Although he shows nice instincts and potential as a playmaker, Flynn has a lot of work to do on his decision making skills. Much of this will come with experience--and Flynn was really thrown straight into the fire last season as a freshman in the Big East with no backupbut its imperative that he learns to read defenses better and become more patient with the ball in his hands. He has a tendency to pull-up for tough shots with a hand in his face extremely early in the offense at times, as well as make careless decisions forcing bad passes and turning the ball over excessively.

Defensively, Flynn is always going to be limited to a certain extent due to his poor size and skinny frame. He didnt do himself any favors last season with what he provided his team on this end of the floor either, though, looking too upright in his stance, showing average intensity and getting pushed off the ball way too easily on this extremely poor defensive team. Flynn had the fourth lowest foul-rate of any player in our database last season, which isnt exactly a positive when you looked at the way he often stood around on the perimeter just slapping at the ball as players went by him. Syracuses outdated matchup zone probably didnt do help matters much, but this is an area Flynn will need to show a lot more in regardless of the system he plays in.

A rare commodity in the NCAA thanks to his excellent blend of pure playmaking skills, toughness, scoring ability and strong intangibles, Flynn will obviously draw a good deal of interest from the NBA thanks to status he is about to achieve as one of the top point guards in college basketball. How quickly he can get there will depend on the type of season he and especially Syracuse has.

A nice chunk of responsibility concerning the smooth team effort delivered by the US Team relied on Jonny Flynn and his unselfish and effective way of running the point-- always taking care of the ball. That was except for the last two games, where he sometimes tried to solve the offensive struggles of his team by over-dribbling to come up with individual solutions that didn't work out. And still then he was able to control himself enough to come back to the team discipline and conserve the calmness and patience which would eventually bring the victory in the semifinal against Franc).

A bit undersized, but very athletic, Flynn is an excellent ball-handler with both hands, a quick point guard who can split defenses pretty easily and feed his teammates. He shows very nice footwork in his slashing attempts, as well as excellent ability to finish near the rim by elevating for layups and finish even through contact. In Novi Sad, he seemed to be a pretty solid shooter, with off-the-dribble skills and range out to the three-point line. On defense he worked pretty well just as his teammates, using his quick feet (he enjoys a pretty strong lower body) to remain very active both in individual or zone defenses.

Flynn is not your classic point guard, but more of a slashing playmaker. Hes perhaps not the greatest distributor around, but is smart enough to try and come up with the best solution for his team, being particularly very gifted in terms of possessing the athleticism to create problems for opposing defenses. Born in 1989, he was the youngest player on the US Team, and is yet to make his debut in the NCAA. Therefore he still has time to fully develop his point guard skills, but still he might easily be the best prospect of the competition at this position.

Jonny Flynn might have been the least-known player on the Team USA roster headed into the event, but those who watched the game saw a player who was absolutely deserving of his spot. He did a great job of pushing the tempo and exploiting Team USAs athletic advantage, continually pestering International guards on the defensive end and almost always finishing a fast-break or ball-handling foray by setting up a teammate for an open look.

Flynn finished the game with 10 assists, and really made an impact with his ability to set up his teammates in transition. The International team had no guard capable of keeping in front of him defensively, and Flynn was content to exploit this by kicking the ball to a teammate upon drawing help. He clicked particularly well with future Syracuse teammate Donte Green, finding the fluid athlete both in transition and in the half-court on several occasions. His ability to hound the international guards into turnovers and generally disrupt their offense, combined with unselfish play and relentless pushing of the tempo on the offensive end, meant that there was little visible drop-off in play when Team USAs second unit entered the game.

In terms of weaknesses, Flynn still has a ways to go as a scorer. He isnt a complete liability as a shooter, but has work to do with the mechanics and consistency of his jumper. Flynn is lighting quick off the dribble, but hasnt shown the ability to be a big time scorer/slasher in the half-court just yet.

2007-2008 Outlook: It should be interesting to see how Jim Boeheim utilizes his electric young floor general. Flynn should infuse the Syracuse perimeter rotation with a much-needed dose of toughness, but Flynn belongs at the head of a pressure-based defensive scheme, not sitting back in a zone. If Boeheim insists upon keeping the ball in the hands of Eric Devendorf and playing Flynn on the wing in his zone the way that he did with Paul Harris this past season, it may be hard for Flynn to make the type of immediate impact he is capable of. But all Xs and Os aside, Flynn is the type of player who should emerge as a 4-year standout at Syracuse, with a good chance to someday take his game to the NBA.

Jonny Flynn was the most impressive of the point guards, but that makes sense in this setting. Flynn is a phenomenal athlete with a motor that doesnt shut off, and his fearless mentality is sure to make him a fan favorite at Syracuse. His scoring abilities werent on display here, simply because his teammates are so good at it.

Flynn proved yet again that he is not a shoot first point guard at the Roundball, after his nice performance at the McDonalds game. He showed his ridiculous playmaking skills after collapsing the defense with his outstanding quickness. The vision and ability to run a team exhibited by the diminutive guard were matched only by Corey Fisher, and he surely disproved the notion that he was a shoot first point guard, or even a shooting guard for that matter.

On the defensive end, Jonny showed that he can and will be a lockdown defender next season in the Big East. His strength and lateral quickness give defenders fits, often forcing them to just get the ball out of their hands without even looking to score. It was downright scary when Flynn and Fisher were on the floor at the same time throughout the game, as their complimentary skills completely dominated the East squad. If forced to pinpoint a weakness for the Syracuse recruit, it could be said that he can be a bit out of control and ball dominant at times, although he does not make poor decisions when he becomes wild with the ball. All in all, there hasnt been a player who has shown more in the all-star sessions then Flynn, who should be the starting point guard by the end of the season due to Josh Wrights inconsistent play.

DraftExpress: Jonny, many people viewed you as a shoot first point guard, yet you came out in the McDonalds game and looked like as pure a point guard as anyone in the game. Tell me a little about why some have that misconception of you.

Flynn: Well the teams they see me on, like my AAU and high school team, thats the position Im put in. Around here, McDonalds game and Roundball Classic, we are all good players so I can fall back and dont have to carry the load of shooting, as I would on my AAU or high school team. It just felt good to be playing the position that Im going to be playing at Syracuse.

DraftExpress: Tell me what your role is going to be next year at Syracuse.

Flynn: I think the same thing Im doing here, thats what Im doing here. Like you said, everybody thinks Im going to run the two. Im like Im 55! How am I going to run the two at Syracuse, in the Big East? Im just trying to come out and show everyone that I can get my teammates involved and lock up defensively.

DraftExpress: Now its no secret that you and Paul Harris are extremely close. Has he told you about why he struggled a bit early on this past season at Syracuse?

Flynn: He just told me that college is way different from high school. Its a big jump from high school to college. You have to be way prepared mentally for all the things outside of basketball. Balancing basketball, schoolwork, social life, things like that. It just took him a little longer to get adapted to college life, and towards the end of the season, he just started clicking on all cylinders.

DraftExpress: Now have they told you if you will be able to go in and start as a freshman, or if you will have the opportunity to start as a freshman?

Flynn: The thing about Syracuse is that they give you the chance to go out and start. Its not like this guy is starting, or anything like that. They give everyone a chance to lose their job. If somebody is outworking you, you might not be playing as much. Thats what I like about Coach Boeheim and his coaching staff. They give you a chance to work and go out there and earn your spot.

DraftExpress: What are your thoughts on the NBAs age limit?

Flynn: Im not really fond of that rule. It hurts people from making a living. Some people arent meant to go to college, and cant go to college and do the bookwork. Some people arent gifted like that mentally to do that. You look at tennis and golf, where you can be 13 years old and play pro. Why cant you do it in basketball? I dont get it. I dont like the rule. Not saying that I could have done it, but I just dont like the rule.

DraftExpress: Now with the GC Ballers, you guys played on the Nike, Reebok, Adidas circuits

Flynn: We played in everything! We didnt really have a sponsor. We were everywhere!

DraftExpress: (laughs) Exactly. With you not having a set sponsor and playing in events hosted by all three shoe companies, what was the pressure like from the three shoe companies to play in their respective all-star games and camps?

Flynn: There was a lot of pressure, especially coming down to camps. Reebok has always shown me love. Thats where I blew up at two years ago, at ABCD camp, so I had to go back to them last year. Reebok was where all the love was shown.

DraftExpress: So what made you decide to play in the Roundball game?

Flynn: Because of Sonny Vacarro and the relationship that I have with Reebok. I dont have a relationship with Adidas. I know the people at Adidas or Nike, but I dont have a relationship with them like I do with Sonny. Its like a family here at Reebok, and thats why I like it.

DraftExpress: What are your thoughts on how the summer camp scene has changed? At first it was only going to be the Nike camp, but now Reebok has announced that they will be having a camp as well. Do you prefer two camps, or all three camps like years past?

Flynn: I like what its doing now. Theyre getting all of the best players at one camp. Youre getting EVERYBODY at one camp, so there are not a lot of players who shouldnt be there. The only thing is that its limiting people to get looked at, like the people who come out of the woodwork and blow up. Its limiting those people, but this is good. Theyre teaching us the right things at an early age.

DraftExpress: Tell me how it feels to have proven all of your critics wrong in the past year and a half that you actually deserve a scholarship at Syracuse? As Im sure you heard, when you first committed, everyone said that Syracuse only took you to get Paul Harris

Flynn: That was the fire behind my workouts. Every time I walked in the gym, I thought people really think Im a package deal and I cant play ball and stuff like that. That helped me out a lot. I thank you for all of the people who said that. It helped me become a better person, just to prove them wrong.

Aside from Mayo, there has not been a player who has been more impressive then Niagara Falls standout Jonny Flynn. He has done a remarkable job controlling the tempo of the game and making everyone around him better, despite the fact that he has the reputation for being a shoot first point guard. The Syracuse recruit displayed the ability to get into the lane on anybody, while also playing outstanding defense on O.J. Mayo. He has carried over his production from the McDonalds game into the Roundball Classic practices, and if he is able to keep it up, should surely contend for the starting point guard position next year at Syracuse.

One of the more pleasant surprises of the evening was the play of starting point guard Jonny Flynn. He performed his duties fairly well, creating offense off the dribble constantly thanks to his excellent ball-handling skills and quick first step and getting into the paint. Usually he would look to dish off to a teammate rather than finish the play himself, and in turn racked up quite a few assists for himself, particularly in the first half. His chemistry with fellow Syracuse commit Donte Green looked particularly promising, giving his future teammate a chance to show off his athleticism with some nice finishes around the rim. Flynn would have finished with even more assists had his other teammates done a better job of converting his passes.

Speaking of athleticism, Flynn appears to be no slouch himself judging by the powerful one-handed dunk he threw down late in the first half. He also used his athleticism to play pretty good defense on Derrick Rose, appearing to take to heart the challenge of guarding the much more highly regarded point guard. He seems to be a pretty tough kid who is not afraid to stick his nose in. There was a point in the first half that it looked like he might compete for MVP honors, but alas, he slowed down in the 2nd, even if he did hit a pretty clutch 3-pointer down the stretch. Still, Syracuse fans have a lot of reasons to get excited about considering the ball-handling issues they had last season.